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Bowstring Township is a township in Itasca County,
Minnesota. State Highway 6 serves as the major arterial in the
community. According to the United States Census Bureau, the township
has a total area of 36.0 square miles (93.1 kmē), of which, 26.6 square
miles (68.8 kmē) of it is land and 9.4 square miles (24.3 kmē) of it
(26.12%) is water. The elevation is 1,322 ft (403 m) above sea level.

As of the census of 2000, there were 242
people, 101 households, and 77 families residing in the
township. The population density was 9.1 people per
square mile (3.5/kmē). There were 259 housing units at
an average density of 9.8/sq mi (3.8/kmē). The racial
makeup of the township was 95.87% White, 0.83% African
American, 2.07% Native American, and 1.24% from two or
more races.

There were 101 households out of which
25.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them,
65.3% were married couples living together, 5.0% had a
female householder with no husband present, and 22.8%
were non-families. 20.8% of all households were made up
of individuals and 12.9% had someone living alone who
was 65 years of age or older. The average household size
was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.67.

In the township the population was
spread out with 21.1% under the age of 18, 8.3% from 18
to 24, 21.5% from 25 to 44, 29.8% from 45 to 64, and
19.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age
was 45 years. For every 100 females there were 106.8
males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were
114.6 males.

The median income for a household in
the township was $31,000, and the median income for a
family was $38,750. Males had a median income of $30,417
versus $17,083 for females. The per capita income for
the township was $18,006. About 20.0% of families and
24.3% of the population were below the poverty line,
including 48.0% of those under the age of eighteen and
9.1% of those sixty five or over.

Long before the white man came to northern Minnesota,
the Ojibwe were settled on the shores of the Bowstring Lake area. The settlements
were usually near water that provided a method of transportation.

Duncan MacDougal homesteaded on Bowstring Lake in about
1894, and William Donnelly arrived in 1895. Other early homesteaders included
the Erickson, Melhus, Gibbs, Johnston, Christie and Sombs families.

W.J. Gibbs arrived in Bowstring in 1896 at the present
site of the Bowstring Lodge. In 1901, he built a store which was designated
as the first post office in 1902.

Jessie Lake and Bowstring townships were a combined township
in the early days. In April 1916 The Itasca News reported that all
of the officers elected were from the north end of Lake Jessie Township.
This resulted in a petition that was liberally signed in both extremities
of the Township for a legal division of the territory. The petition was
approved by the county commissioners. The newly organized Township of Bowstring
then held an election. Elected were supervisors Algot Johnson, J. H. Miller,
L. Mallett, town clerk Ervin Sombs, and justices of the peace Malcolm Campbell
and Jacob Jacobson.

After Gibbs moved to Inger in 1910, Carl Christie was
named postmaster at Bowstring. The post office was moved to Schedin's store.
Bowstring Store is the current site of the post office.

The area was dotted with small country schools at one
time, often named for the families that donated the land. In Bowstring there
was a Donnelly, Greenwood, South Bowstring and Sombs school.

Bowstring also has cemetery named after the family who
donated the land. The Donnelly Cemetery is the final resting place for many
of the of the Bowstring pioneers.

Later the people at Bowstring needed a church, so they
built one. The U.S Forestry donated the trees. Local volunteers logged,
sawed and planed the lumber. The women were busy raising money, and when
they had $300, they began to build. Rev. Herb Peters was asked for help
and they affiliated with the Presbyterian Church. The cornerstone was laid
in 1961.

The Bowstring Store, located at the junction of State
Highway 6 and County Road 133 was built by Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Schedin.
The post office was moved to the store and the Schedins operated the business
for many years. Present owners Randy and Chris Harju have built a large
addition to the store and continue as postmasters of Bowstring.

Bowstring Store in the 1950's

There is an
airport at Bowstring were
a 2500 foot landing strip opened in 1961. Owned by Itasca County, it is
"the best kept secret in the County" according to Airport Board Member Art
Merdes.

Excerpted from the Deer River Centennial History, published
by the Deer River Area Centennial Committee, 1998

Experience
the thrill of world class fishing! Walleyes, northerns or crappies.
The excellent fishing at Bowstring Shores offers fun for all ages.
Boats, motors, bait, gas and oil are available at the dock along
with a ramp for boat launching. We brag the best fishing in the
Chippewa National Forest. Join us and prove it to yourself! Fish
the famous walleye and northern waters of Bowstring Lake, known
by locals as "Minnesota's Pike Hole."

Whether you are looking for the quiet solitude of
the Chippewa National Forest, or the companionship of new friends,
you will find it all at Bowstring Shores Resort.

Our cozy lodge offers a place to
gather with friends, old and new. Play a game of pool, enjoy a soft
drink and just relax. Light groceries, gameroom, snack bar, fish
freezing and laundry facilities are also available. For outside
play, enjoy the heated pool, playground or a game of horseshoes,
volleyball or basketball.

Our family operated resort offers
14 housekeeping cottages in a variety of sizes. Our cabins are guaranteed
clean, attractive and comfortable. You need only bring groceries,
towels, and your "can't do withouts".

Spend
a memorable vacation with us on Bowstring Lake. Our resort is designed
with your comfort in mind, with lakeside vacation homes secluded
in the Chippewa National Forest. There's NO LIMIT to the fishing
adventures on Bowstring Lake, located 40 miles north of Grand Rapids,
Minnesota. That's especially true if you're staying at Geiger's
Trails End Resort, where we'll treat you like family by showing
you the best fishing spots and providing great accommodations for
your entire party. Get ready to REEL in unforgettable vacation memories.
Geiger's is a family resort in the secluded Chippewa National Forest.
With our clean and comfortable lakeside vacation homes, we're a
cut above the rest. We also offer a large visiting lodge with a
game room, TV, and a sandy beach -- perfect for hot summer days
-- and a playground with swings, a slide and more!

Georgene's Haven is a quiet family resort located on beautiful
Bowstring Lake and in the Chippewa National Forest. Bowstring
Lake has been named Minneapolis Star Tribune's "Lake of the
Week" several occasions and has the reputation for being one of
the best Walleye, Northern and Crappie lakes in Minnesota.
Bowstring Lake's 9000 acres offers twenty-three miles of
shoreline that leads way to many a fishing hot spot!
Whether you wish to camp or stay in a cabin, Georgene's Haven
offers both accommodations along the shoreline of Bowstring
Lake. If you have a trailer or camper, you'll enjoy the
spacious, wooded campground. Light and water hookups are
available and there is an indoor bath and shower area.

Jessie View Resort is a Northern Minnesota resort
and campground located in one of the most scenic regions in the
country, the Chippewa National Forest. Hundreds of acres of
forests, lakes and unspoiled beauty surround us. Our spacious
property lets you relax and soak in the fresh breezes off the
lake and our Minnesota cabins pamper you with modern amenities
to make you feel at home. If you're self-contained with an RV or
camper, we have one of the most up-to-date Minnesota campgrounds
in the area. Prominently placed on 1500+ feet of sandy shoreline
on Big Jessie Lake's SW side, we offer a spacious setting for
your family vacation, trip with your friends or quiet getaway.

Our
small, family-oriented resort and campground is located on Bowstring
Lake in the heart of the Chippewa National Forest. Come and enjoy
our quiet, unspoiled surroundings, the beautiful sunrises over Bowstring
Lake, the excellent fishing and other outdoor sports, the scenic
walking trails through the woods, many kinds of birds and wildlife,
and the area's varied recreational opportunities.Because part of the fun in vacationing is to escape
the hectic schedules of daily life, we offer very few planned activities.
Bowstring Lake provides activities for all ages, including fishing,
boating and swimming. We can suggest local events and sights, too,
to interest almost everyone. There is even a small new casino in
Deer River, less than half an hour away. Please plan to provide
appropriate parental supervision for young children, especially
near the water!

The
resort is located on the east shore of Bowstring Lake in the heart
of the Chippewa National Forest. Here you can relax and enjoy
nature in the great Northwoods, experience dozens of area attractions
and get hooked on some of the best northern, perch, panfish, bass
and walleye fishing in northern Minnesota. Our seven 1, 2, and 3 bedroom cabins are very clean,
comfortable and fully furnished with all the modern amenities to
ensure you get the maximum enjoyment from your stay with us.
We've also added 12 seasonal RV sites set amidst the trees on our
40-acre property. We offer boat and motor rental, dock rental for
your own boats, gas and oil, a protected harbor, and a fish cleaning
house with free freezer space. Bowstring Lake is one of the
top walleye fishing lakes in Minnesota.The resort has plenty of activities, including
a new heated outdoor swimming pool, a new playground, volleyball,
horseshoes, hiking trails, a new game room and a lodge with snack
items, light groceries, sweatshirts, t-shirts, and hats and souvenirs.

Snug Harbor
Resort & Campground is located on the shores of Bowstring Lake in
northeastern Minnesota, and is completely surrounded by the Chippewa
National Forest. The resort is 222 miles north of Minneapolis
and St. Paul, 37 miles northwest of Grand Rapids, Minnesota,
and 22 miles north of Deer River, Minnesota. The resort is open from May 1 through November 10
with seven lake-level cabins, five full hook-up camping sites
and four tent sites complete with showers to choose from.
Six of the cabins are two bedroom and one is a three bedroom.
The cabins feature modern conveniences and all have kitchens and
baths. Each cabin also has its own deck with patio chairs
and a charcoal grill. Bowstring Lake is widely recognized as one of
the Top Walleye Fishing Lakes in Minnesota. At just over 9,200
acres in size, Bowstring Lake provides tremendous multi-species
fishing opportunities. Walleye, northern, jumbo perch, and crappie
can all be readily caught here. And nothing compares to the views
of the shoreline as seen from a boat or pontoon.

Located in the heart of Itasca County our
11 lodging establishments offer you the finest in Minnesota family vacations
and fishing adventures complete with lake cabins and camping. All of our
resorts and campgrounds offer the incredible beauty of our Northern Minnesota
location. You'll spend your vacation days surrounded by forest amidst the
abundant wildlife while you fish or simply relax on the crystal-clear waters
of Sand Lake, Little Sand Lake, Jessie Lake, and Bowstring Lake. Stay in
any of our family-friendly resorts or campgrounds and you will find interesting
historical and natural attractions nearby, as well as great dining, shopping,
championship golf courses and the best trail systems in the state.